Moments
by battleshipxx101
Summary: Every relationship starts with little moments, even Skye and Ward's... A story of how the Rookie and her Supervising Officer grow closer through the many moments they will share... DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel's Agents of SHIELD
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

It was around three in the morning. Everything was quiet on the bus, except for the small beeping sounds on the computers in the lab. The team has been working on a new mission. They found out that a secret company has been producing materials that contain gravitonium. They arrived at the main branch 2 days ago, but FitzSimmons warned them that there was some kind of invisible force that involved the same element, which made the surroundings dangerous.

Now, they have stayed at a safe distance away, above the building, trying to figure out how to deactivate the force field. They've been working non-stop, but after an exhausting day, everyone decided to turn in; everyone, except Skye. All the others turned in at 11 pm, but Skye refused to leave her station. She found a way to hack into the building's system and was currently trying to look for an entry point in it. It already took 4 hours of running codes and data, and nothing has come up yet. Skye was trying every combination she can, reaching up to thousands, while the team rested.

Meanwhile, Agent Ward, after a few hours of sleep, started to stir on his bed. He turned to his left side, but realized that he couldn't sleep anymore. He opened his eyes and looked to the shelf by the foot of the bed.

"3:17 am" the clock read.

Ward sat up, rubbing his eyes. Deciding that he could use this time to work out, he went outside and to the bathroom. The lights were dim, but it wasn't too dark. FitzSimmons' bunks were still closed. After he washed his face, he went back to his room to change his clothes. He came out of his bunk in a gray shirt and a pair of jeans. Ward was sure that any trace of sleep has left him. He went out again, and finally noticed that Skye's bunk was open; a light coming out of the door. Confused, he approached it and peeked inside. Skye wasn't there.

Ward thought of where Skye would be, and his best bet was the mini-gym. He made his way to the training room. Once he was in the catwalk, he leaned forward to see if Skye was there, but doubted it, since it was too quiet. Ward went down the steps, and looked around. Finally, he spotted the familiar shade of brown curls inside the lab. He stepped through the automatic doors, and saw his rookie. Skye was passed out in front of one of the computers. Ward inwardly chuckled at the sight then went nearer. He nudged Skye's arm gently.

"Skye?" He said. Skye grunted but didn't wake up. "Skye? Come on, wake up."

A few more nudges and Skye jerked upward, startling Ward.

"Oh my God! I fell asleep. Shit." She then started to type frantically on the keyboard. Ward blinked at her, wide-eyed. She was completely ignoring that he was there. He shook his head and tried again.

"Skye," he said firmly. "Stop. Go upstairs and get some sleep."

"I just did, now back off." She said dismissively. Suddenly, Skye felt a hand grabbing her right wrist, successfully stopping her from typing away. She turned and faced Ward.

"Skye, I'm serious. Go upstairs and get some _proper_ rest, at least for a few hours." Ward told her strictly. She seemed to be considering it and was about to argue when Ward spoke first.

"Please." He said. They remained looking at each others eyes. Any argument that Skye was about to say was thrown out the window when he said it. Skye sighed.

"Fine. But I'll be back soon. Coulson would want leads." She declared then got up and started to walk to the glass doors. She felt a bit dizzy and wobbly, which made her sway slightly. Halfway across, the lab, Ward called her again.

"Skye," He said. Skye turned around.

"What?" She asked, half irritated, half confused.

"You're headed for the glass. The door is the _next_ panel." Ward told her. Skye turned back around and stared in front of her. She really _was_ headed for the glass panel.

"Oh," she replied, blinking confusedly. "Thanks, robot." She went out the doors. Ward stared as she climbed up to the stairs. He sighed and a small smile appeared on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! If by some chance you are wondering, this is the first time to post a fanfic. I often write fics, but I don't post them all. XD Like I said in my bio, I'm still trying to find the courage to post stories. Don't worry though. I'll try to write more so I can post them. :)**

**Here's the next chapter for this story. Hope you enjoy! :) :)**

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><p><strong>DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.<strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter 2:<p>

_Skye's POV_

I honestly thought I've only been working for an hour. I was surprised when I saw that it was past 3 already. Suddenly, I felt exhausted again. I had a slight headache so maybe it was best to sleep properly. Sighing, I curled up on my bed, wrapped a blanket on myself and drifted off to sleep.

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><p>The next thing I knew, I was hearing the sound of Simmons's voice by the door.<p>

"Skye?" She said. "Wake up, we got a lead."

I opened my eyes to see the biochemist smiling as cheerfully as she always does.

"Have some breakfast then, go to the briefing room. Coulson is expecting us in half an hour." Simmons promptly exited my bunk.

I got up and saw that it was 7:00 am. Rubbing my eyes, I got up to go the bathroom to wash my face. 10 minutes later, I came out and went back to my bunk. It seemed so quiet on the lounge. I figured that FitzSimmons would be in the lab. And who knows where the others were. I locked my door and changed clothes. I chose to wear my black jeans which totally looked great on me, my favorite white V-neck, my dark purple vest and finally, my black sneakers. After 10 more minutes, I've managed to finish applying my make-up and fixing my hair. I grabbed my phone and checked the time. I still had 10 minutes so I went to the mini kitchen to grab some breakfast. The coffee machine was already ready with some hot coffee so I just grabbed a cup and filled it. I had to be on time so I just chose to eat some French toast sticks. Once I was done, I cleared up and heard some chatter. FitzSimmons were most likely making their way to the briefing room already. A minute later, they appeared in the hall, absorbed in a conversation that once again, only _they_ can understand.

"Oh hey, Skye. Good morning." Fitz finally noticed me, and Jemma smiled at me.

"Morning," I greeted them. The three of us made our way to the briefing room. Once there, the two scientists immediately took their positions in front of the computers. A couple minutes later, Coulson arrived along with Ward and May. Coulson was looking as calm as ever. Ward looked slightly out of breath, probably from working out. And May wore her signature serious face.

"Good morning, team. Gather around, please." Coulson instructed us, and everyone did so. "An hour ago, I was informed that through Skye's hacking skills, an entry point to the building we're currently guarding was found." He said calmly.

My eyebrows went down in confusion. "You found it an hour ago?" I asked. Coulson shook his head. "It was found around 2 hours ago, according to Agent Ward. But he didn't want to wake us all up very early in the morning. He claimed we all needed rest." Coulson shrugged.

This confused me more. "Then why didn't you wake me up then? We could've infiltrated the building already."

Simmons answered before anybody else. "Oh! Agent Ward told us not to, since you've stayed up later than all of us. Plus, we weren't in a rush with the mission."

Everyone's eyebrows rose up, including mine. I looked at Ward, and I was sure everyone did too. He seemed to be looking everywhere except at me. He looked like he was blushing slightly which was weird. I thought robots don't blush.

"Oh well, thanks." I told him, and he was forced to look at me. He cleared his throat and responded, "Yeah, sure."

I turned back to the rest of my team. I noticed faint smirks on their faces, even May, and I know Ward saw them too.

"Moving on," Coulson directed our attention to the big screen, which showed a translucent model of the structure of the building. "As you can see, the force field we discovered covers the whole building, forming a dome. Simmons?"

"Yes," Simmons stepped towards the screen. "So, we've analyzed the force field and how it is being controlled from the inside. Fitz and I noticed that this left part," she pointed to the screen and it zoomed in. "Opens a portion of the force field, around 2 meters in height and 2.5 in width, but it does so without disabling the_ whole_ force field."

"And why is that?" May asked.

Fitz stepped forward as well and began to explain. "Well, we think that whenever they would send out new packages and items for delivery, the transportation goes through here. That way, it doesn't affect the protection of the rest of the building."

"That," Coulson continued for them. "Is how we will get in. Skye will disable this sort of driveway force field so we can enter the building. May and Ward will go with me. The three of you," he pointed to FitzSimmons and me, "will stay in the van. In case we'll need you for something inside, be ready. We'll call you." I nodded.

Coulson addressed the other two agents. "We meet down in the lab in 10." Everyone shuffled out of the room. Coulson to his office, May and Ward to the weaponry to gather some guns. FitzSimmons and I went straight to the lab and readied their gadgets. Just like Coulson said, they arrived in the lab on time. They gathered around the table with the tools that were laid out in front of them.

"Alright, Skye, make sure we're good to go. We'll hide behind a tree 35 meters from the entrance. Give us the go and we'll move." Coulson told me.

"Okay," I answered.

Simmons began handing them the things they needed. "Alright, here are your gadgets. The Invisi-Wall, so you can camouflage behind it. Just make sure you move discreetly."

Fitz spoke next. "Knock-out smoke grenades for a quiet entrance."

"And your earpieces so I can communicate with you guys." I added. May, Coulson and Ward silently packed their tools and headed out.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's the third chapter. I apologize if it's not that long. :(**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.<strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter 3:<p>

Like they said, the agents stayed 35 meters away from the entrance. They used the Invisi-wall, which copied whatever background it needed to copy, and safely hid behind it. About 5 minutes later, Skye's finished hacking the system.

"I'm in. Move slowly towards the entrance. It'll be open as soon as you get near enough."

The three agents did so, and as they neared the metal doors, Skye talked again. "Alright. Once you go in, take the left hallway. No hostiles so far."

They shared nods and moved inside. They did as Skye instructed them. Pretty soon, they find themselves in front of splitting hallways again.

"Which one?" Ward asked.

"Right one." Skye answered. They followed the wide corridor. "You'll see another hallway leading to the right. Two hostiles approaching. Vision in 10 seconds."

The three of them took their positions and hid behind the posts. Sure enough, two armed guards headed their way, but the agents remained unseen. As soon as they passed, the three proceeded. After a few more instructions from Skye, they finally reached the main room. Once there, guards immediately emerged towards them. Ward was able to knock out four of them. May beat the crap out of six men, and Coulson took out three. With all the men unconscious, they take in their surroundings.

"Skye, what are we looking at?" Ward asked.

The room was huge and it was filled with a lot of computers. There were screens everywhere; Keyboards, beeping machines and finally the machine they were looking for. There were three rows of computers, divided by an isle in the middle. At the end of the isle was a big cylindrical machine. It was surrounded by more screens, circling around it. May and Ward went nearer, surveying the displays on the screens.

Skye started to talk to them. "I'm pretty sure this is what we're looking for. The machine there is like the main controller of everything else. It's also connected to something upstairs, from what I see on the blueprints. The floor above you looks like it's the room where the products are made."

"It definitely is." Simmons confirmed. "A structural scan of the place indicates that it is the main factory, and they are controlled by the computers."

"We need to disable it." Coulson declared. "Skye, you're going in with FitzSimmons. Get ready." He started to move to the door again, but Ward spoke.

"Wait," he said. The other two agents turned to him.

"What is it?" May asked.

"We're missing something." Ward said. "All guards, and no boss. Shouldn't we find the mastermind before we do anything else?"

Coulson and May shared a look and decided he was right.

"Alright. We'll search the whole place." Coulson told them.

"What about these?" May asked, motioning to the device.

"We'll bring them here as soon as the building is cleared." Coulson answered. "Let's move."

The three of them started to walk towards the exit when they suddenly heard a small beep from behind. They turned on their heels. One of the screens surrounding the device started to blink, accompanied by small beeps. They eyed the monitor, both confused and nervous. Suddenly, a red box appeared on the screen and there was a warning text.

"ALERT!" It said, and a folder appeared. Then it opened a file. They went near it and looked at the digital photo. It was a shipping record of some kind. The computer started to highlight some parts of it and then zoomed in.

_ Name of product: Gravitonium Bombs  
>Date and Time of DeliveryShipping: February 25, 2014 / 9:00 a.m.  
>Route: Nevada, United States<em>

Ward looked at Coulson, who looked at his watch.

"8:40." He informed them.

"Shit." May said.

"Alright, here's what we're going to do. Ward, you go and get FitzSimmons and Skye. Bring them here and _stay with them_." He emphasized the last part. Ward nodded. "May and I will scout the area. Whatever you do, do _not_ let them out of your sight." He ordered.

Everyone moved. Ward was already heading out the doors.

"Did you catch what Coulson said?" He asked Skye through the earpiece.

"Yeah. We're all ready." Skye told him.

"Good. I'm coming now." He told her.

Once they were inside, Skye and FitzSimmons immediately went to work. Skye took her place on the center computer surrounding the machine while FitzSimmons stayed at each of her sides. They were discussing what to do while Ward watched them and kept guard. Coulson and May still haven't checked in with him but it had only been a few minutes.

"10 minutes to delivery." The machine spoke.

"Shit. I haven't even cracked the system yet." Skye said. There was a slight trace of panic in her voice.

"You still have time. Just relax." Simmons advised. Silence fell again, but not a minute later, they heard a crash coming from the adjacent room. Everyone looked at Ward, who had his gun out and was telling them to be quiet.

"Stay here," he said, then moved to go to the other room.

Ward neared the door and leaned on the wall, his left hand reaching for the door knob while his right securely held his gun. From the corner of his eye, he saw FitzSimmons circle around the center and go to Skye. The three of them moved to the farthest desk in the corner of the room and resumed their work from there. In case of a firefight, they could duck under the wide desk for safety. Slowly, Ward turned the knob and kicked the door down.

The room was dimly lighted. There were three fluorescent lights. 2 of them were shattered and hanging from the ceiling. Ward stepped inside and disappeared into the room. He carefully inspected the small room. There was a metal table at the right side, kind of like the ones used in hospitals. Ward shivered slightly.. He moved to the left side, gun still in hand. There wasn't much there except a cabinet. He opened it and on the top shelf were different colored solutions and sets of syringes. There was a box of latex gloves and on the top of the cabinet itself were different knives and cutting equipment. Looks like he found a torture chamber. Ward finally found what caused the crash. There was a small rat on the shelf and it knocked over a couple of bottles of liquids and a tray of metal tools.

Ward placed his gun back in its holster and decided to go back to the main room. He made his way out the door. While fixing his gun, he told the others, "It's alright, guys. It was just a–"

To say that he was shocked was an understatement.


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.**

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><p>Chapter 4:<p>

Ward became speechless at the sight. His mouth went wide, just as his eyes did. FitzSimmons were lying face down on the cold ground. Two men in black clothes were standing beside them and were all armed _heavily_. Ward looked around and there was Skye. A man held her from behind. A knife threatened to cut open her throat. Skye's hair was ruffled and she was breathing heavily. From the looks of it, Skye tried to fight off all three men most likely, but failed. And so, she had a nasty bruise on her cheek and had a bleeping lip. Ward's heart crushed at what he saw. His teammates were all in danger. And seeing Skye in danger scared the hell out of him.

"Ahh, Agent Ward, or at least that's what I've heard." A fourth man stood in the middle of the room.

"Who are you?" Ward asked in a low voice. His eyes narrowed threateningly at the man.

"I'm hurt," the man answered mockingly. "You infiltrate my building, try to stop my work and yet you don't even know my name?"

Ward remained silent. As a black-ops specialist, he was trained to be able to escape from any situation. His eyes darted towards FitzSimmons. Because of their position, Ward couldn't tell if they were breathing or not and it made him sick. His eyes next landed on Skye and her assailant. Blood had now started to ooze from Skye's neck. Ward tried his best to keep calm. He knew that any rash movements will cause his rookie's throat to be ripped open. His insides clawed at the thought. He knew that Coulson and May would come and help them soon. So, he decided to kill some time. Ward just hoped his teammates won't be dead by then.

"Let me introduce myself," The man said, breaking his thoughts. "My name is Chris Vernz, owner of this magnificent company." His tone was light and cheerful. He started to walk closer to Ward.

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><p><em>Ward's POV<em>

_Calm down, Ward. They're coming. They have to._

I exhaled, trying to prevent myself from panicking. Neither Coulson nor May seemed to arrive so I might as well get some information from this psycho.

"How did you find gravitonium?" I asked.

"Well isn't it obvious? I met a friend, Ian Quinn, to be exact. He told me his story. Told me about SHIELD. That's how I got the element. And when I found out what it can do, I knew I had to start this company. Why limit our resources? Why limit our _power_?"

"It's dangerous and you know it!" I exclaimed. _He really was a psycho!_

"Oh, I do," Vernz said. "Dangerous, but necessary. We all have something to protect and fight for. And we deserve the right to do just that. Though this company, I aim to provide them with that right that other people deprive them of."

Silence fell again and I was starting to worry. May and Coulson should be here right now. I needed to play for more time.

"So," Vernz spoke again. "Agent Ward, seeing as none of you will leave this building alive, I'm making you choose."

"Choose what?" I asked in confusion.

"You see, I have some business to attend to. And I can't really leave you here unattended, now can I? So again, I'll make you choose. Who'd die first?" Vernz eyes glimmered.

My chest tightened. Worry has now enveloped him. _But wait. He said "choose" so, that would mean that FitzSimmons were still alive._ _ I can still do something. _

"You don't have to do this, Vernz." I said to him.

"It's not like SHIELD would leave me alone, is it?" He retorted.

He was right. I was starting to panic and be desperate.

"Now, Agent Ward, I'm already running late. Choose now…" he said in a sing-song voice. "My vote is on the two nerds there." He jerked his head towards FitzSimmons. "I think I'll enjoy this one first." His eyes flickered again as his eyes lingered on Skye, who whimpered and struggled.

I felt my jaw clench.

"Don't. Touch. Her." I growled at Vernz.

"And what can you do about it, hmm?" He jeered. I was about to answer when another voice spoke.

"Leave that to me."

I breathed a sigh of relief when our team leader appeared. As soon as Coulson spoke, May started to kick butt already, knocking out the guards near FitzSimmons. Since Skye was at the other side of the room, I was the one to get to her. Her assailant seemed to be distracted or shocked by May's sudden moves that he failed to notice me going near him. I needed to be careful. Skye's life was on the line. One wrong move and my rookie dies.

_My rookie_.

As soon as I was about a foot away, I see Skye very forcefully step on the guard's foot, making him raise the knife away from Skye's throat. I was able to punch him in the face and knock him out.

"You okay?" I asked her. She gave a slight nod, but I saw her wince slightly due to her wound. "Let's get that thing patched up when we get to the bus."

"Okay." She said. Then, we all turned to face Vernz.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hello people! :) Here's the next chapter :)**

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><p><strong>DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.<strong>

* * *

><p>Chapter 5:<p>

_Skye's POV_

Coulson stood in the middle, directly in front of Vernz. "Mr. Vernz, you have no other choice. We can't let you keep this up."

Vernz's face didn't show any signs of fear at all. "I'm afraid you have no way of stopping this, Agents."

While they conversed, I looked around. There was a computer just behind the machine._ I could still stop this. I just needed to slip away unnoticed._

As soon as I did just that, I managed to get my hands on a computer. I tried my best to type quietly. I quickly managed to get into the main system and looked for a command to stop the device. _Click. Click. Click._ Until I realized something. This thing was rigged in case it needed to self-destruct. That means it had explosives inside it! This was Vernz's way out of here.

I gulped and tried to work faster. I needed to disable it. Shut it down before things get out of hand. I heard Coulson still talking with Vernz. _Okay. That's good. Delay his escape plan._

"There's always a way, Mr. Vernz. That's what we do." Coulson stated.

"But time isn't always by your side, now is it?"

Suddenly, I hear a gun being cocked. I decided to take a little peek to see what was happening and then I saw Vernz pointing the weapon directly to the machine. _Shit. I need to work faster, if that was even possible. _

May and Ward both took a step forward as soon as Vernz pulled out his gun, ready to take him down as soon as they had the chance. As Ward moved he seemed to have noticed that Skye wasn't beside him anymore. He started to get worried. Sometimes Skye's methods resulted in trouble, especially when only she knows it. He tried his best to be discreet as he searched around him, looking for the young hacker.

Coulson was still trying to talk Vernz out of keeping this thing up. He had the upper hand here and they could only do so much about it.

"It's not too late to this, Mr. Vernz. People would be hurt, millions of them!"

"Like I said before, people _need _this." Vernz was now shouting, his gun shaking in his hand.

Ward felt that it was no use to talk to Vernz and that the latter would do whatever he was planning anyway. Knowing this, he needed to move on to _their_ escape plan. He needed to think of how they would get out of here.

Just then, Ward finally found Skye. Her legs could be spotted behind the machine and it was clear that she was still doing some hacking. He needed to get her; make sure she gets out alive when the time comes. _But how?_

"Some people just deserve to get hurt." He yelled. "I'm sorry, agents." His voice was much calmer as he said the last part.

Suddenly, his hold on the trigger got steadier, preparing to pull the trigger. Before anyone could stop him, Vernz released the bullet just as Ward dived to the side and yelled, "SKYE, GET OUT OF THERE!" the same time as Coulson shouted, "VERNZ, DON'T!"

There was an explosion. The old building was now swallowed in flames.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Next chapter up! Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do now own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.<strong>

Chapter 6:

_Ward's POV_

There were flames everywhere. Smoke was clouding my vision and making my eyes hurt. I coughed several times before I stand up and try to look for my team mates. The smoke was making it hard to breathe, but I managed to call out.

"SKYE!" I shouted but there was no response. Then, I heard a shuffling sound and a few coughs. I turned to my right. FitzSimmons appeared at my side, both looking confused and flustered.

"What happened?" Simmons asked.

"Later, okay? We need to find the others and get out of here." I told them.

"Ward!?" It was May's voice. A second later, she and Coulson appeared.

"Where's Skye?" Coulson asked worriedly.

"I don't know. She was over there, behind the machine before things went down. But I can't find her with all the smoke." I told him. My breathing was getting really constricted and the tightening of my chest did not help.

"FitzSImmons, go. Get out of here. May, prepare the plane. Skye might need serious medical aid." Coulson told them. "Ward, let's find her." I nodded.

I went over the right side of the room, Coulson not far from me.

"Skye? Skye, where are you!?" I shouted. No answer. "Skye?" I tried again and this time, I heard something. There was a faint cough coming from across the room. Then, I heard her voice.

"Ward?" It was very weak and faint, just like the several coughs that followed it.

"Skye!" I cried out. "Hold on!" I quickly turned to Coulson who nodded at me. We both ran towards the source of the sound.

"Skye?" I cried again, each time I did, I got more and more panicked.

"Ward, watch out!" I heard Coulson shout. Debris was starting to fall from above and it missed me by an inch. Finally, I spotted her figure lying by the wall. I ran towards her.

"Skye?" I crouched and saw her close her eyes.

"Let's go!" Coulson said. Quickly, I take her in my arms and run towards the exit. _Please be okay. Please be okay._

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><p>Ward sat on the table in the lab. Skye was still unconscious and was currently being examined by Simmons. She was covered in burns on the arms and Simmons was currently patching her up. Ward watched as the biochemist covered the wound on Skye's neck with a gauze pad. His eyes moved to look at her face, which surprisingly had less burns. However, she had an oxygen mask on her. As soon as Ward had carried her aboard the bus, Skye woke up briefly but was coughing so violently. Simmons immediately attached an oxygen mask to her and Skye's breathing eased up, but she drifted to unconsciousness. Ward had stayed with her the whole time.<p>

"There," Simmons said. "All done."

"How is she?" Ward asked.

"Well, her vitals are almost returning to normal. It's just her breathing that's not quite back yet. She may have breathed too much smoke in her lungs." Simmons sighed. "But she'll be alright. The oxygen mask will soon replace all that and she'd be back on her feet in no time." She smiled at Ward, who looked remorseful.

"Ward," Simmons called him. Ward looked at her. "She'll be just fine." She told him. "You know Skye. She's a fighter."

Ward sighed. It's true that Ward had grown to care about his rookie. Skye has brought out a side of him that he didn't think existed. It's true that things became different as soon as she stepped on the bus. Sure, they bicker; they fight; they have hurt each other, but in the end, she was still his partner and he was hers. In the end, he stilled cared about her and felt that he would do anything to protect her. And seeing her, weak and wounded on that table, made him sick.

"I'm supposed to protect her. That's my job." Ward said in a low voice.

"What happened was not your fault. Skye chose to stop all of it. You couldn't have done anything to prevent her from doing so. If you were in her shoes, you would do the same. Any of us would." Simmons said.

"She's right, you know." Fitz said.

Ward did know. Skye was always doing what she thought was right. She sometimes bent the rules but only because she knows what was the right thing to do. Over time, she's proved that to all of them. She had proven that she cared about this team more than anything and is willing to do anything for them. After all, this was her only real family.

"Alright," Simmons said, interrupting Ward's thoughts. He looked up at her. "I've recorded her vitals on the tab. I'll be monitoring her from here. You can bring her up to her room already."

"I'll help you with the tank." Fitz said, then moved to pick up the small green oxygen tank.

Ward gently lifted Skye from the table, being extra mindful of the bruises on her arms. When they reached her bunk, Ward placed her gently on the bed while Leo fixed the tank so that it wouldn't be inconvenient to Skye.

"Alright, I'll leave you to it then." Leo said then left the bunk.

"Thanks." Ward said. He stood there, not knowing what to do. He didn't know if he should stay or just wait in his bunk until Skye woke up. However, there was a weird feeling inside him that made him want to stay. Deciding on a compromise, he chose to grab a book from his bunk. But then, it was hard for him to leave. He knew he was being silly but still, he couldn't leave her alone for a second. The feeling confused and frightened him. To be test whatever it was, he decided to go to his bunk just to see how he would take it. However, he absent-mindedly left her door open when he ran inside his bunk then returned just as fast. When he realized that he left her door open, he grew even more confused. He didn't really think Skye would disappear when he closed it, now did he?

_I'm being ridiculous_. He couldn't explain why he was acting so silly. He shook his head and decided to focus on his book. It might not be the right time to make sense out of all this.


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7:<p>

_Skye's POV_

I woke up feeling disoriented. I tried to remember what happened and some memories came back to me. The last thing I could remember was hiding behind the machine and trying to stop Vernz's plans. The rest was really fuzzy. I could remember a lot of smoke and…Ward. I remembered Ward carrying me to somewhere.

When I opened my eyes, I took in my surroundings and realized I was in my bunk. There was an oxygen tank and mask beside me and– Ward!

Ward was seated beside my bed, softly snoring. He was holding a book on one hand and the other enclosed my hand! My hand!

I looked at him in confusion. What was he doing here? How long had he been here? Questions filled my mind but I knew they could wait. I didn't want to interrupt his rest, but unintentionally, I coughed and it instantly woke Grant. He blinked a few times before his eyes focused on me.

"Skye," he breathed and tightened his hold on my hand. Whether he was conscious of it, I didn't know. All I knew was that it felt nice. His hand was warm against my cold skin.

"Hey," I said to him. "What happened to me?"

He sighed and started telling me what I wanted to know. "When you were behind the machine before, Vernz shot it with a pistol and it exploded. You got the most injuries since you were so near. God, Skye you scared me."

I laughed, intending to crack a joke but it turned into a cough. Ward's eyes immediately showed concern.

"Hey, easy there." He was now helping me sit up. After my coughing had subsided, I managed to speak again.

"I think the robot's getting a little soft." I smirked at him.

"Only when it involves you, rookie." He said and I raised my eyebrows. Grant just laughs it off and when I started coughing again, he turned serious and rubbed my back until it stopped.

"I'll go get Simmons to have a look on you."

"Okay."

"I'll be back." Grant went out of my bunk, leaving me to my thoughts. What did he mean by what he said? I don't want to make a big deal of it really but I can't help but feel well, flattered. I don't really know how I feel about Grant. All I know was that there's something different when it comes to him. I knew inside that he was never just my S.O. He had always been my friend. What happened with Miles proved that we weren't just co-workers. I guess I could say I was slowly starting to like him. But I hadn't really thought about it. I had to admit I was scared too. This thing between us might not end up the way I want it to.

"Skye," I looked up to see Jemma at my door with Ward. "I'm so glad you're okay. You gave us quite a scare there, especially this guy over here." She jerked her head towards Ward. "You can't imagine the state he was in earlier. He wouldn't leave your side even for a second." I raised my eyebrows and looked at Ward who seemed to have found the ceiling interesting enough to examine.

"Now, let me have a look at you." Jemma said. She turned my arms to examine the burns. They were stinging a bit and it was really uncomfortable. Next, she examined my neck wound which was healing well already. Then she took my blood pressure and finally, she was done.

"Well, your burns will take at least a week to heal. Does it sting?"

"Yeah, a bit."

She smiled sympathetically at me. "It'll go away in a couple of days. However, when it does go away, your skin will peel off and it will be terribly itchy. But, whatever you do, _do not_ scratch them unless you want an infection, alright?"

I sighed but nodded in understanding. Then, I started coughing again.

"Oh dear," Jemma said, looking concerned.

I saw Grant leave and wondered where he was going. Less than a minute passed when he returned in my bunk with a glass of lukewarm water. He handed it to me and I drank it immediately. My breathing eased up and Jemma started talking again.

"Unfortunately, you've inhaled a lot of smoke in the building and that is what's causing the coughs. I need to warn you; you might have asthma attacks for a few days so I'll give you an inhaler later. Just puff it whenever you start to cough violently. Keep it with you at all times. Don't forget to drink lots of water, alright?"

I nodded at her. Then she faced Grant. "That also means, she can't train at all for a few days until her lungs are back to normal."

"Wasn't planning on letting her." Grant replied smoothly.

"Well, get some rest, Skye. I'll go get your inhaler and a jelly for when the burns start to itch. It'll be really uncomfortable so I suggest you wear a sweater to stop yourself from scratching it. I'll check on you later."

"Thanks, Jem." I said to her.

"No problem." She replied then went out of my bunk. Grant stepped inside again and was watching me.

"Where are we now?" I asked.

"We're flying back to HQ for now. We need to resupply." He told me.

"And Vernz?"

"He escaped but we're trying to track his whereabouts. As soon as we've got something, we'll head back. But for now, Coulson thinks we need some rest, especially you." By the time he finished, he was seated at my left side.

"I'm fine, Grant." I told him. "Part of the job, right?" I smiled at him, but Grant's face was serious.

"The danger, sadly, yes. But you almost dying? No."

"I wasn't gonna die." I said.

"If I hadn't gotten you when I did, the building would've crashed and you'd be gone."

"Okay, okay. I get it. You don't have to say all that."

Silence fell. Neither of us looked at each other.

"Thanks, by the way, for saving me." I looked at him and he stared back.

"And I'm sorry," I added.

"For what?"

"For always getting in trouble and for making you and the team worry."

"It's alright. Just try to avoid trouble, please." He took my left hand in his right one, but frowned when he saw the scars.

I smiled at him and we both looked at our hands. "I'll _try_." I teased.

He looked up and raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything. I smirked at him and he rolled his eyes. I knew I didn't want him to leave yet, and I was glad he didn't make a move to do so.

"What about you? Are you okay?" I asked after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

I looked at him from top to bottom–not that it helped since he wore pants–to see if he had any bruises. The only visible one was on his head.

"Skye, I'm fine. I'm more worried about you." He said firmly.

"I told you. I'll live, S.O." I said.

"Good."

"What about the others? Are they all okay?" I suddenly remembered FitzSimmons unconscious on the ground.

"Everyone's fine. FitzSimmons managed to get out with May while Coulson and I looked for you."

I breathed a sigh of relief, but it turned to a heavy sigh. The guilt was still inside me. I could've stopped it if I just moved faster. None of this would've happened.

"Skye," I heard Grant calling me. When I looked in his eyes, I knew he had an idea of what I was thinking about. "Don't worry about it, okay. What's done is done. Everyone's fine and we'll get Vernz. We always complete the mission, remember?"

I nodded at him and he stood up, our hands not separating.

"Come on," he said.

Confused, I asked, "Where are we going?"

"Well, we'll be at HQ for a while so, how about a movie?"

I raised my eyebrows. _Grant is inviting me to watch a movie with him? I mean yeah, it's just in the lounge but it's still a movie. With Grant! _

"Don't get used to it." He said, smiling. _Mmm...I liked this Grant._

I pouted but let him pull me out of my bunk and into the living area.

"What are we watching?" I asked him.

"What do you want?"

"Comedy." I said almost immediately. Grant glanced at me then turned back around.

"Okay," he made me sit on the couch. Then, he walked back to his bunk to get the movie. I tucked my legs in and waited eagerly to see what he had. When he went back, he showed me what he was holding.

"Hangover? Really?" I chuckled.

"Problem, rookie?" He asked while placing the disc in the player.

"No, I just didn't think that you'd actually own a comedy movie." I said, teasing him.

"Well, maybe this robot is full of surprises." He took his place beside me and the movie started.

A few minutes passed and FitzSimmons went up the lounge and saw us. Jemma was immediately up for a movie so she joined us on the couches. Fitz, however, said he couldn't watch a movie without popcorn and so, he made some Microwave Popcorn and then joined us. Jemma also gave me my inhaler and jelly which I thanked her for. The movie played and I guess we all needed some laughs after all. While we watched, I felt Grant place his arm around the back of the sofa. I couldn't help but move closer to him, enjoying the warmth and security I felt when I did. _Yep, I definitely like this Grant._


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hi everyone! I do hope you guys are still doing well and strong during this hiatus. I know we all miss AOS already. :( I apologize for the delayed update. I had a lot to do this week for school and all Anyway, I hope you like this new chapter. It's really fluffy and all. ;)**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel's Agents of<strong> **S.H.I.E.L.D.**

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><p>Chapter 8:<p>

_Skye's POV_

Two weeks passed by. I was very much recovered, if you don't count the stupid asthma attacks. I still had to keep the inhaler with me every day. I did not want to have another case like the one I had four days after the incident with Vernz.

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><p>It was the middle of the night. I was sleeping peacefully but it was a bit cold that night. I was only wearing a shirt and sweatpants and I had an asthma attack again. I woke up, coughing violently. But I couldn't find my inhaler. I searched my entire bunk–nothing. I tried to remember where I last used it and I realized that I left it at the lounge when I used it that afternoon. I quickly ran out of my bunk, panic starting to form inside me. I stumbled through the sofas and finally got hold of my inhaler. I puffed it in my mouth and my breathing eased up at once. The next thing I knew, there was a warm hand rubbing circles on my back and then a glass of water being held in front of me. I glanced at my side and saw Grant looking worried. I drank the water and he told me to sit down on the couch. I was already calmer than before.<p>

Moments later, he appeared in front of me with a nice cup of tea. I said my thanks and proceeded to drink the warm beverage. He sat on the side of the sofa, watching me carefully.

"Did I wake you?" I asked.

He nodded and I said, "Sorry. Didn't mean to."

"It's alright. I'm glad I did."

I sipped my drink.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm much better now."

"You better get some sleep." He told me. I placed my now empty cup on the kitchen counter and walked to my bunk. Sleep sounded nice.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked as I entered my bunk. He was standing by the door.

"I'm sure."

"Okay, then. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thanks for the tea." I said.

He smiled at me before saying "Good night" and closing the door.

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><p>I smiled at the memory. The past few days, I've noticed how Grant had changed his attitude towards me. He was always checking up on me, making sure I was eating right foods, and forcing me to drink water. Whenever I started coughing repeatedly, he would instantly be at my side. I found it sweet of him, but that was it. I didn't dare look deeper and overthink. Otherwise, things might get more complicated.<p>

Today, we decided to head back to Arizona. We found a lead on Vernz. It wasn't a very big one. We just received an alert that his credit card was used for three days in a row in one of the coffee shops. We needed to know if he was really going there or if his card was just stolen.

I was in my bunk, doing something on my laptop when I heard the intercom.

"Wheels down in 5," May said.

_I guess I better get ready_. I turned off my laptop and grabbed my phone from the nightstand. As soon as I opened the door, I squealed in surprise.

"Grant!" I exclaimed. He was standing right in front of me. Our faces were mere inches apart.

"Sorry, I was about to call you." He said sheepishly. "Briefing now."

I followed him to the briefing room where Coulson and the others were waiting for us.

"Alright," Coulson started. "I considered the best way to go through this. We can't just come in as agents. If by some chance Vernz has someone looking out for us, he'll disappear again. So, FitzSimmons, you will be given the feeds of the security cameras in the premises. Check if Vernz will make an appearance."

The two scientists nodded.

"May and I will be going in as customers separately. May will flash the photo to the men there and I will handle the women."

"Do I stay with Fitz and Simmons?" I asked, expecting some hacking job again.

"No," Coulson told me. "You will be coming in as the third customer."

_Oh. No hack job._ "Okay, what do I do?"

"You take the employees in the shop. Order a latte or something. Be chatty with the people there."

"And me?" Ward suddenly asked. I glanced at him and he seemed to be thinking hard about something.

"Ward," Coulson said. "You will be a lookout from alley across the coffee shop. You'll keep an eye on the perimeter of the place. Everyone clear with their jobs?"

We all nodded, and Coulson said, "Good. May and I will leave in my car. I'll drop May off a few blocks away and then she'll walk to the coffee shop. After I park my car in front of the shop, I'll go in. You three will ride the van. We move out in exactly 10 minutes."

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><p>10 minutes later, I was still in my bunk, hurriedly putting on last touches of makeup. I could hear Ward shouting my name and telling me to hurry up. Quickly, I ran downstairs and to the cargo hold. Everyone was already there. May was wearing a button-on blouse; its long sleeves folded up to her elbows. It was black, of course. Coulson, on the other hand, was wearing a plain blue shirt. It seemed so weird seeing them in <em>casual<em> clothes.

"What took you so long?" Ward demanded as soon as I arrived. He was fixing his equipment and handing me a gun, which I kept behind my back, inside my blouse.

"I'm sorry! I had to change clothes and do my makeup!" I told him whilst going in the van. "Have to make an impression if I want to chat up some employees, don't I?"

Ward scoffed. I didn't get why he's so pissed. I had a role in this mission and I had to play it well. I didn't know why he didn't understand it. Or maybe he did but still found it stupid. _Boys._

When we were parked in the alleyway, I put my comm inside my ear. I had to wait 10 minutes after Coulson arrives before I can go in. And Coulson had to wait 15 minutes for May to get to the shop. And so, we were just waiting in the van. Ward was at the driver seat, looking through the crowds with a pair of binoculars. Once or twice, I caught him pursing his lips and looking annoyed again at what he was seeing. _God, what is up with this guy?_

"Feeds are up and running on our computers," Simmons announced.

"Okay. Keep an eye out for Vernz." Ward said.

"6 more minutes, Skye." Fitz told me.

I nodded at him and resumed waiting. After a few moments of silence, Simmons spoke again.

"There are 5 employees on the counter, Skye. All are men."

_There! Grant pursed his lips again! What is up!?_

"Alright. You're up, Skye," said Fitz.

"Okay. Remember, be chatty. Keep your cover. If you sense any trouble, just say the distress word." Simmons reminded me.

"How am I supposed to use that in a conversational sentence!?" I said while jumping off the van.

"I don't know! You came up with that!" Simmons said.

"Awf, fine. I'll go in now."

"Be chatty, Skye!" Fitz said.

"Watch your back. If anything happens, just say so." Ward told me. He seemed pretty quiet since earlier in the briefing room.

"I'll be fine." I told him before walking down the alley and crossing the street.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you guys liked it! :) I'll try my best to update soon! xx**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

_I'll be fine. _I repeated it to myself. I admitted, it wasn't a really dangerous mission or anything. I just needed to find out if Vernz had been here, only, I had to do it subtly. As soon as I entered the coffee shop, I pretended to scan the room for a seat. Next, I moved to the counter where I saw the three men minding the cashier. The other two were making drinks at the other side of the counter.

"Good morning! What can I get for you?" The young man said, wearing a big grin on his face. I had to raise my eyebrows. He was too cheerful that it's getting weird.

"Uhh…I'll have a Caramel Latte, Grande." I smiled at him.

"Caramel Latte for the pretty lady."

_I swear, I may have heard Ward scoff through the comm._

"Anything else?" He asked.

"No, thanks." I said.

"You sure? You can try our Deli Plates. We've got the greatest subs and sandwiches in town!"

Now I'm sure he's just trying to make conversation.

"No, I'm good."

"Alright, then." He started punching buttons on his cash register. Then, he grabbed a Grande-sized cup from the side, and a black marker.

"Name please?" He asked.

"S–"

"No!" I suddenly heard Ward shout in my ear. "Tell him a cover name!" He said hastily. I would've glared at him for shouting at me if I were faced with him. Instead, I forced a smile. I'd make Ward pay later.

"Sarah." I told the guy in front of me.

"Well, Sarah, I'm Al."

I heard another scoff in my ear. _What's the matter with Ward!?_ _He's acting ridiculous._

While Al was writing my name and order on the cup, I decided it was the best time to ask him about Vernz. I took my phone from my pocket and opened the picture.

"Hey, can you tell me if this guy has been here before?"

Al eyed the picture and then furrowed his eyebrows. "Hmm, he looks familiar."

"Have you seen him lately?"

"Yeah, I think so. Hold on a sec." He said then turned around to call his co-worker. "Hey, Paul! Hey!"

The guy at the back turned around and went near the counter.

"Hi," I said to Paul. "I was wondering if you've seen this guy lately."

Paul looked at the picture. "Yeah, he bought a cup of black coffee before."

"Was he with anybody?" I asked.

"Yes, I saw him with another guy."

"Is the guy here right now?"

Paul looked around for a few seconds. Then, he spotted him. "Yeah, he's that guy over there, the one with the hat."

I looked over to my left side. A few tables were on the elevated part of the shop. The guy was seated in the farthest corner of the room. He was talking on his phone. I looked back at Al and Paul.

"Mmm, okay then. Thanks for all your help." I said as I grabbed the drink resting on top of the counter.

"No problem." Paul said.

I turned around and let my hair fall to my face slightly. "You copy that?"

"Got it," I heard Coulson answer.

"I'll be out front." May said as she passed me without making eye contact.

I took a seat on one of the sofas, and watched as Coulson walked to guy.

"Skye," I heard Ward say. "I want you to be alert and ready with your gun if anything happens. I'll be taking the left side of the cafe. May's already by the right. Maintain your cover."

I watched as Coulson approached the guy. They seemed to be talking calmly for a couple of minutes. Then, the guy stood up. Coulson held him by the arm. I thought everything was fine and that we were taking him in, until I saw Coulson get punched on the face and elbowed in the stomach. I saw him go down while the guy ran towards the doors.

"I got him." I said. He ran to my direction so I stood up, swung my leg towards his feet and tripped him. I pulled out my gun and aimed it at him. I heard a lot of gasps and squeals from the room. Moments later, Coulson, May, and Ward appeared beside me. Coulson flashed his badge and May handcuffed our suspect. I put my gun away as Ward stood beside me.

"I'm impressed, Rookie." He was smirking at me and I beamed at him.

"I told you I'd be fine." I said.

"I never said you wouldn't be."

"Well you doubted me."

"It's called being cautious."

"No, I know cautious. You were something else."

"And what exactly was I?"

Before I could answer, an elderly woman who was seated near us spoke. "Oh!" she said to another lady seated in front of her. "How cute is it that this couple decided to join a federal agency together?"

The other woman chuckled as she looked at us. "Absolutely adorable!" Then, they both laughed.

Ward and I looked at each other wide-eyed and then both looked away. My cheeks were on fire. And Coulson and May smirking did not help. The five of us went back to the van and Ward drove back to the Bus.

Unbeknownst to them, a certain someone watched the whole scene from a distance. _A couple, eh? Just what I needed._

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><p><strong>AN: There you goo! :) I apologize if it's a bit short. I hope you're liking this story. More will come, I promise ;) Oh, and one thing I keep forgetting to ask- Please Rate and Review! Thank you! xx**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Less than two weeks until is returns! AHHH! Excited, but at the same time, scared. We all know what this show is capable of doing to us, and we don't know what to expect when they return. I hope the episodes will come regularly now, though. :( Anyways, here's the next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.**

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><p>Chapter 10:<p>

As soon as the team got back to the Bus, Coulson brought the suspect to the Interrogation Room. The team split up–May and Coulson went with the suspect, FitzSimmons went to their lab, Ward to the lounge, and Skye to her bunk. After half an hour, Skye went out of her room and headed to the kitchen.

"You hungry, S.O.?" She asked from inside the mini kitchen.

It took a moment before Ward answered, as he was about to say no, then quickly realized that he could use some food as well. "Mmm…yeah, a bit. What are you having?"

"I was gonna cook some chicken, but there aren't any in the fridge." The frown on her face could be sensed in her voice.

Ward stood up and went to where Skye was. He looked around. "How about some turkey and ham sandwiches?" He asked Skye who was rummaging through the fridge.

"Ham and turkey…" She paused. "Nope, they're non-existent on this plane too."

"What?" Ward asked in disbelief. Surely, they had some food left to eat, right?

"Can you check if we have meatloaf?" Skye asked. Ward searched the shelves before answering, "Nope."

The young woman closed the fridge and sighed. "We need to do some grocery shopping."

"What, tonight?" Ward raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, yeah. We're out of stuff to eat, and since it's still early and we're landed, why not? I'll go ask Coulson now." She made her way to Interrogation and went inside the observation room. Agent May was currently interrogating the suspect while Agent Coulson watched.

"Do you need anything, Skye?" He asked while still staring at the one-way glass.

"Yeah, I found out that we're running really low on food supplies. I'm asking for permission to go to a nearby grocery store to do some shopping."

Coulson faced Skye and paused before speaking. "Hmm…" He looked back at May and the man, then to the clock on the wall. "Alright. Be back by 8:30, alright?"

Skye nodded. "Okay." Then, she proceeded to open the door to leave. Before she stepped onto the threshold however, Coulson spoke again. "Oh, who's coming with you?"

Skye narrowed her eyes. "I was planning to go alone."

Coulson frowned. "At least bring Ward with you. You can take Lola."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay then. Oh! By the way, do you want anything?"

Coulson paused again before answering. "Some Pop Tarts would be nice."

"Pop Tarts. Got it. And for May? I don't suppose you know what I can get her?"

"Get her some stuff for a salad. She would like that."

"Salad. Okay. See ya later, AC!"

"Be careful! Watch your back." He added before Skye closed the door.

When she got back to the lounge, Ward was sitting there again with his book.

"Hey," he said. "What did Coulson say?"

"He said I could go."

"Mmm," he seemed to be thinking about something. "Want me to go with you?"

"Uh…yeah! That'd be nice. I'd probably need my robot to carry the bags of groceries." She said. Ward scoffed, but realized that she didn't correct how she called him. _My _robot.

"I'll just go grab my bag. Meet me downstairs?" She asked as she skipped towards her bunk.

"Okay. I'll get the van ready."

"Oh! Coulson said we can take Lola." Skye said as she peeked from behind her door.

"Really?" Ward's eyebrows were both raised.

"Yeah."

"Okay..."

When they met downstairs, Ward was already in the driver seat, but Skye went to the lab first.

"Ward and I are going for groceries. Want anything?" She asked the two scientists.

"Greek yogurt, please!" Simmons replied.

"Yogurt. Got it. How about you, Fitz?"

"Pretzels and some prosciutto ham." Fitz answered without looking at Skye. He was busy with his bots again.

"Oh! Yes, and bread too!" Simmons added.

"Got it." Skye left the lab, but not before the duo shouted "Thanks!" at her. She took the passenger seat as soon as she rode Lola.

"All set, Robot. Let's go!" She grinned excitedly at Ward who chuckled at her as he started to drive.

"I've never seen anyone so excited with grocery shopping."

"Well maybe it's because I get to spend some time with my S.O. without him barking orders."

Ward raised an eyebrow at her. Skye grinned at him and then there was silence.

When they reached the small grocery store, Skye immediately ran to the dairy section. Ward couldn't stop smirking at her as she bounced happily.

"Cheddar cheese..." she muttered, focusing on the boxes in front of her.

"Get some mozzarella too." Ward told her, earning him a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"Planning on making us pizza, Ward?"

He smiled. "Maybe. If situation calls for it."

"How about if the situation was a very hungry rookie?"

"Then I'll make you some."

"With some mushrooms and pepperoni?"

"Anything for you, rookie."

Skye couldn't help but blush furiously so, she ducked her head to hide it, and placed the cheese inside the cart.

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><p><em>Half an hour later...<em>

"You're wasting your time, Agent Coulson." The man told Coulson.

"Oh, I think I have all night to get you to talk, Mr. Hillborg," replied the agent.

"I'm not saying anything."

"All we want to know is where Vernz is. We need to find him, as you very well know. If you don't talk, I'll be forced to use our Truth Serum, and I really don't want to waste our resources. I could get Agent May back here. She's known for making people talk."

Hillborg's calm smile faded a bit.

"You're lucky that she wasn't authorized to beat you up yet, but I can give that permission anytime."

Hillborg swallowed. Coulson merely smiled at him. "Okay then," he said after a few moments. "I'll have Agent May come here in a few minutes."

Hillborg was visibly nervous now. But before he could say anything, Coulson left. It took a good 5 minutes before Agent May came in, in total silence.

"Ah, you again." Hillborg said, trying to sound tough. "Are you gonna stay silent for another 10 minutes again, Agent May?"

"No," she replied, much to Hillborg's suprise. "I don't plan on wasting my time on you when I could be sitting in our lounge comfortably. Listen here, Hillborg. If you don't start talking, here's how it's gonna come down. We have visual evidence that you were conversing with Vernz in that cafe. Now, since Vernz has been considered an illegal arms dealer and a threat by this agency, anyone and I mean _anyone_ in contact with him is considered a threat as well. So, seeing as you are in our custody and given our evidence against you, I can safely say that you're looking at quite some time behind bars, and if you choose to annoy me more, I have the power to request for you to have a _very_ uncomfortable stay. So, I ask again. Where. Is. Vernz?"

Hillborg kept his gaze on May's intimidatingly piercing eyes, and whispered. "You don't need to find him."

May backed a few inches, but didn't remove her glare.

"He's coming to your agents."

May failed to conceal her shock. She was out of the door within seconds. She saw Coulson standing in the hall as well, mirroring her worried expressions.

"Skye and Ward." Coulson said. And together, they went to the lab.

FitzSimmons were currently chatting with each other when their two superiors barged in.

"Track Skye and Ward now." Coulson ordered. Simmons looked confused, but walked to the computers.

"I thought they were going to the grocery?" She asked.

"Find out which one they went to. We need to get them back as soon as possible."

Simmons immediately started typing on her computer.

"Fitz, call them now." May said.

"What is going on?" Simmons asked worriedly.

"Vernz wanted us to find Hillborg so he could find out our location. Hillborg revealed that Vernz was coming for Skye and Ward."

"But how did he know that they would leave the plane?" Fitz asked.

"I have a feeling that Vernz knew all along that we took Hillborg here, and he might have seen the two leave. We need to get them back here." May answered.

"Anything?" Coulson asked.

"No answer. Either the place has no reception or it really was scrambled on purpose."

"Sir," Simmons called their attention. "Their cellular phones are turned off, but the tracker in the car indicates that they're at a local store called Go-Mart, not four kilometers away."

"Let's move." May stated.

"Wait, what about Hillborg?" Fitz asked. They all shared glances before Coulson spoke.

"I locked him in Interrogation–Security Level 2. He won't be able to try any tricks."

"Make sure that you lock the cockpit with a code. Now, let's move." May ordered. Then, she proceeded to the driver seat of the SUV. The rest of them followed.

"Try their phones again." Simmons asked Fitz when they got in the van. Fitz dialed Ward's number before responding.

"Nothing. I'll try calling Skye." A few moments of silence ensued before he spoke again. "Still off."

"Damn," May muttered under her breath.

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><p><strong>AN: There you have it! :) I have to say, I didn't expect this story to go this way. I originally planned it to go a different direction, but as you all know, when you write, you tend to write whatever you imagine. And so, it came to this. Hahaha! I hope everyone's loving it. I have to warn you though. This story is nearing its ending. Yes, I know, it was so fast. Honestly, there was this time I didn't want to write for a day because I didn't want to end this, but I know I have to. So, be warned. The ending's coming soon. **

**Thank you, btw, to the people who send reviews. I really appreciate them. :) Rate and Review! xx**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hi guys! I know it's been a while since I last updated and all. School's been really hectic, plus add in some health issues I now have, and you have a disrupted fanfic-writing time. Hahaha. Although, FIVE DAYS LEFT UNTIL AOS RETURNS! GAAAH! **

**Disclaimer: As always, I do not own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. **

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><p>Chapter 11:<p>

"Skye, how many bags of candy do you need?" Ward exasperated. They have been grocery shopping for almost an hour now.

"It's only my third bag!"

"You already have a large pack each of Snickers and Reese's! And now, you're adding another bag of…"

"Kitkats! I love these."

Ward exhaled. "Okay, but no more candies. Deal?"

Skye pouted. "Aww. Fine. Come on, let's go to the Frozen section. Fitz wants some ham." They walked to the freezer and Skye was choosing some ham. Meanwhile, Ward grabbed some bacon, and turkey slices, and some chicken fillets. Next, Skye headed to the isle where bread was located. She grabbed two loaves, and Ward grabbed some pasta from the other side.

"Oooh, I'd love that!" Skye commented, eyeing the bag of Fettuccini in the cart.

"I know you do. That's why I got them." Ward winked at her.

When they got to the Oats and Cereals isle, Skye walked to the right side, searching for her favorite cereal, while Ward walked to the left side, choosing his bag of oats. While Skye was focusing on the boxes in front of her, Ward spoke in a low voice.

"Skye?"

"Yeah?" Skye responded but didn't turn around.

"Can you uh…come here for a sec?"

"Hold on." She said, but didn't move just yet.

"Skye, come here."

"Just a sec, Ward." Skye answered, still not turning around. There were a few moments of silence before Skye suddenly felt Ward grab her waist from behind. She jumped slightly, and was about to hit Ward on the chest when she noticed the serious expression on his face.

"Don't panic and don't turn around." He whispered. "But I'm pretty sure it's too much of a coincidence that the guy in the brown jacket has been going to the same isles that we've been going to, at the same time as us."

Skye gulped and whispered, "We're being followed?"

"I think so." Ward answered.

Skye placed the cereal box back to the shelf. "What do we do?" She turned to face Ward.

"Just follow me. I'll get us out of here."

When they started to walk, Ward led Skye to the near end of the isle. Before they could run, however, a man had blocked them. They stepped backwards, intending to run to the other end of the isle when another guy appeared and ran towards them. Ward moved forward and punched the guy nearest to them. Skye did the same to the guy running to her. The two men were knocked out cold. Ward grabbed Skye's hand and they ran to the front exit. Before they reached it, they saw three more men approaching from outside.

"Back exit," Ward told Skye. They went back to the Fresh Section, entered past the freezers and ran for the back door.

"You have your gun?" Ward asked Skye, who nodded and took out her weapon from her back.

"Use it only when necessary."

Skye nodded for a second time. Before they opened the exit door, they both leant against it slightly. Ward started mouthing a countdown.

"Three…Two…One…" Then, he opened the door. Ward aimed his gun to the left side while Skye crouched down below him and aimed to the right. When they didn't see anyone, they went out and slowly walked. There was a street in front of them, and two cars double parked. At first, nothing could be heard. Then, out of nowhere, shots were fired. Ward pulled Skye to a crouching position, but they ended up getting separated. Ward took cover behind a car parked on the left, while Skye did the same on the right. They kept their eyes on each other as they figured out what to do next.

While the firefight ensued, Ward thought about what he's going to do.

"Go!" He said to Skye. "I'll cover you. Go around the block. Get away from here. I'll follow you there after I'm done with these guys."

Skye looked hesitant and scared. "No, we go together."

"Skye, you have to get out of here. I'll be right behind you."

Skye's heart was beating out of her chest right now, trying to decide on what she'll do. She didn't want to leave Ward.

"Please, Skye." He pleaded. "Go!"

Then, the firefight stopped. Ward then stood up and returned fire. Skye ran to the street on her side, away from the grocery shop. She crossed the street and continued running past buildings and apartments. She took a left down an alley, walked straight again, then turned right. She ran straight ahead until she could barely hear the gunshots. She stopped running and leaned against the wall. She was breathing too hard right now and couldn't move anymore. It was a good thing that the alley was dark and she was hidden in the shadows.

There was absolute silence now, expect for the panting coming from Skye.

_Where is Ward? Is he okay?_ She couldn't help but feel scared at being unaware of what was happening with Ward. _Did he get away? Is he looking for me?_

Suddenly, she heard footsteps. Someone was heading her way. Skye looked around. She had the option to just hide in the dark and wait, or she could run and find another hiding place. She decided the latter, and ran away from that alley. She ran until she reached a few more blocks away. Now, she was panting really hard. She couldn't breathe properly anymore, so she collapsed to the ground. She was conscious, but she was literally out of breath. Skye let herself stay on the cold hard ground. She wanted to see Ward. She wanted this to be over and be safe again.

She was about to stand up again to look for him, but as soon as she was back on her feet, she heard a gun cock in the shadows. Her heart started to beat faster than it already has been.

"Hello there," said a voice in the dark.

Skye gulped and stepped back, but another cock of a gun behind her made her stop. She turned around and saw a man aiming a gun at her.

"She's one of them." He said to the man who was still hidden.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Yes," the man answered. Skye waited until the hidden guy stepped out of the shadows.

"Vernz!" Skye gasped.

"Very good, Skye." The man's face was visible now.

"How did you know where we were?"

"Isn't obvious? I let you take in Hillborg so I could follow you. When I saw you leaving with Agent Ward, I took my chance. My chance to take revenge."

Skye remained still, aware of the fact that two guns were still threatening to take her life.

"I really liked your relationship with Agent Ward. It's a shame it would end."

"What?" Skye furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Oh yes, I saw you and your boyfriend."

"Boyfriend!?" She momentarily forgot her fear and was completely clueless at what Vernz was saying.

Even Vernz looked amused. "Isn't Agent Ward your– "

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You think Ward's my–" Skye looked at him incredulously .

"You two…aren't together?" Vernz cocked an eyebrow at her.

"No," Skye answered hastily. Then, there was silence as Vernz tried to figure her out.

"How you act though," he said deviously. "It's as if you really were together. Like I said," he shrugged. "It's a shame you have to die."

Skye felt her heart stop. She had to something. She couldn't let them kill her without putting up a fight. Suddenly, she had an idea.

"Die? And um...you're gonna kill me, how again?" She tried, and Vernz eyed her suspiciously.

"Are you not aware of the two guns being raised at you right now?"

"Oh, I'm perfectly aware of that. I just, maybe, expected a more interesting fight, you know. Not one where you just resort to a _weak_ solution."

Vernz eyes glimmered at the work weak. "Excuse me?"

"Fight, Vernz." She told him with a calm smile. "Let's see if you really are a man capable of beating a girl like me."

Vernz looked at her as if she had grown two heads.

"You heard me. Fight with me, then we'll find out who's the weaker one."

"If you're trying to stall for time, Skye–"

"I'm not. I just want to try out everything my S.O. taught me, at least before dying." Skye still wore a calm but determined expression.

Vernz seemed to be thinking about something before he spoke again. "He's not going to come save you, Skye."

"I don't really care. It's time I proved myself to him and the rest of my team."

"And how exactly would you do that if you're lying here, bleeding to death?"

"I guess we'll find out." Skye positioned herself to the fighting stance Ward taught her. Vernz looked past Skye and at the man standing behind her. They both placed their guns back in their holsters and readied themselves.

"Two men against one girl? You sure about this, Skye?" Vernz jeered.

"I'd be more scared if it was Agent May in front of me. But two goons? I think I could handle it." Skye said. Then, the fight started. The two men both charged at her. Skye stepped sideways to avoid them. They didn't collide, however, because Vernz saw right through it. He landed a punch to Skye's face making her grunt in pain. They momentarily paused before Skye aimed a kick at Vernz. He caught her foot and twisted it, making her fall backwards. She fell hard on the ground, but she kicked the two men standing above her, to make them fall as well. Skye stood up while they remained on the ground. She kicked the other man in the face, breaking his nose for sure. Vernz stood up and tried to punch Skye in the stomach. Skye, however, dodged it by leaning to her right. She kneed Vernz to the face and that sent him backwards. The other man tried to tackle her, but Skye turned halfway so that he would miss her and lose his balance. When he did, Skye elbowed him to the face and kicked him straight in the chest. He was sent backwards as well.

"This isn't over yet, Skye." Vernz said as he stood up straight.

"You bet it isn't." Skye answered as she sent punch after punch to Vernz's face.

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><p><strong>AN: It's a bit short, I know. :( And right now, I'm still writing Chapter 12, so I would need your patience here. xD Rate and Review! :) xx**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hi there! :) Few more hours until AOS returns! I have to be honest though, I'm planning on not watching it. :( I know we waited like 27 days for it but then, I don't know what to expect. I mean, I wanted an overload of Skyeward scenes, and maybe there will be, given the state Skye is in. But due to a certain gif of the sneak peak I saw, I kind of don't want to watch it because it would hurt. PLUS. The episode's title is TAHITI, meaning they may be planning on revealing more about Coulson and what happened. **

**And basically, I would get bombarded with feelings that I possibly can't take. So, that's why I'm hesitating in watching it.**

**But going back to my fic, I believe this is the 2nd to the last chapter. I'm not sure yet. I'm not done yet with the next, so I'm not sure what direction it would go, whether it would require another chapter or not. But, when I think about it, I feel like I should continue it still. I'll see. I'm not promising anything. Haha :)**

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><p>Chapter 12:<p>

Coulson, May, and FitzSimmons arrived at the grocery store just in time to hear the firefight happening at the back.

"Stay here," Coulson told the scientists, who nodded firmly. He and Agent May ran toward the back of the building. When they reached it, they peeked and saw Ward finishing the last of the assailants across the street.

"Ward!" Coulson shouted. Ward turned around as the other two ran up to him.

"Where's Skye?" May asked.

Ward looked worried. "I told her to run, but I don't know where she went."

"We have to find her." Coulson told him. "Did you recognize any of those men?"

"No, why?" Ward asked.

"Vernz is after the two of you. If he wasn't here, then there's a big chance that he's looking for Skye, if he hasn't found her yet."

Ward turned pale. They ran towards the street where Skye ran to. They took the same left alley that Skye took earlier, but they were faced with more turns.

"Let's split up. You two take the right side and I'll take the left." May declared. The two men ran to their right as May did the same to her left.

They passed alley after alley, street after street, block after block, and they still couldn't find their hacker. Ward was getting desperate. _Where is she? Is she okay? What if Vernz got to her? _Ward didn't even realize that he was clenching his jaw so tightly until he heard a sound from it.

They kept running and running until they heard indistinct voices. Coulson and Ward shared a look before they ran towards it. He next heard a grunt of pain that made his chest tighten.

"Skye," he breathed as he sprinted up.

When they reached the alley where it came from, they realized it led them to splitting ways again. Ward didn't know how far they were from the grocery store anymore. But he knew that Skye has run too far already and that she could've passed out or collapsed. He felt scared now.

Since Coulson was standing at Ward's left, he immediately took that side while Ward took the opposite one. He held his gun tightly in his hands as he carefully and quietly passed the buildings. When he reached a couple of blocks away from where he came from, he suddenly heard a bang, followed by Coulson's yell.

"NOOO!"

Ward immediately turned around and sprinted as fast as he could to Coulson's direction. He ran and ran, regretting that he went too far from Coulson. He heard a series of gunshots which took out every fiber of strength and composure from him and replaced them with fear and shock.

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><p><em>Skye's POV<em>

"Just give up, Vernz!" I shouted as I dodged his punch yet again.

"Not a chance." He answered.

I kicked him in the stomach and he grunted. His companion threw a punch at me. I stepped backwards when it hit me in the jaw. Vernz grabbed me and placed his elbow under my chin. His arm locked me in place. The other guy tried to punch me in the stomach, but I stepped on Vernz's foot, making him release me. I flipped him backwards, right onto the other man. When they struggled to get up, I watched as the guy grabbed his gun. I released a sharp breath as he placed his finger on the trigger. Without thinking about what I was doing, I ran forward, grabbed his hand, and pulled it downwards as I slid past him under his arm. I twisted it and stole the gun from him, just as Ward taught me. When I got hold of it, I didn't hesitate. I shot him twice in the back. The next thing I knew, I saw Coulson standing a few feet from where I was. He stood right in front of me. It took a split second before I saw him shout.

"NOOO!" He was looking past me, so I turned around just in time to receive the grenade that Vernz had thrown at me.

_BANG!_

Then, there was darkness.

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><p>Coulson watched as Skye fell backwards on the ground. His ears were ringing from the explosion and his vision became fuzzy, but he still managed to see Vernz clearly.<p>

"Vernz!" He shouted at the man standing in the middle of the alley. Vernz opened his mouth to speak, but instead of words, two gunshots were heard. Coulson put down his gun as soon as Vernz fell to the ground. He hurried towards Skye who was both bloody and unconscious. As if on cue, a loud tire screech was heard, followed by the sound of slamming car doors. Coulson looked behind him, and saw the rest of the team, except Ward, standing there. Each wore the same look of fear and shock on their faces as soon as they saw the unconscious young hacker.

"Simmons!" Coulson shouted. "Help her. I can't feel a pulse."

The biochemist turned pale, but spoke to her partner. "Fitz, get the defib."

Fitz then ran to the back of the SUV and got out the reserved defibrillator in the van. He and Jemma immediately went to Skye. The others stepped aside to give the duo the space they needed to do their job.

"Charging!" Simmons stated. "Clear!"

_Thug!_

"No response."

"Charging…Clear!"

_Thug!_

"Nothing."

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><p>As soon as Ward heard the loud bang, he ran as fast as he could towards where he came from. He sprinted to the street where he and Coulson separated. Taking the same turn he did before, he saw the van heading towards his direction. Then, about two hundred meters away, the SUV stopped. The light was blinding, but he could see three shadows hurrying towards the side of the building. When he arrived there, Ward saw what was happening. Simmons was leaning over Skye with Fitz on the other side.<p>

"No," he gasped, then lunched himself forward, wanting to get to Skye. Ward wore a look of pure shock and fear, just like the others. He was running forward when he was stopped by Coulson.

"Skye," he kept gasping, but Coulson was restraining him. He eventually let go of Ward and the latter ran forward. He dropped down beside Simmons, right beside Skye's head.

"Nothing," he heard Fitz say. Simmons charged the defibrillator once more and pressed down onto Skye once more.

"Clear!"

There were a few seconds of silence. It seemed as if the scene was playing in slow motion for Ward.

Then, his rookie coughed.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope you liked it! Rate and Review! I wish everyone luck for when you all watch the episode. xx**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hellooo there! Yes I know it has been ages since I've updated. I do apologize for that. This story was really hard to end because honestly, I planned on killing someone but instead I twisted the story so you won't hate me. Hahaha! Anywho, I'm back! And also, this is my last chapter for this story. :') I can't believe I actually posted here on :) I never expected that I'd do that. I only wrote fics in school and at home but I kept them to myself. But now that I've posted this, I was glad I found the courage. It made me feel happy knowing that I had actual readers. :')**

**I'm not leaving permanently of course. ;) But I will have a temporary hiatus of my own. :( Sadly, I'm due for an operation a couple of days from now and it'll take about a week to be mobile again. But the full recovery period is a month long. BUT. Even so, I promise to continue writing. :) I mean, what else is there to do while I'm stuck in a room? Hahaha! **

**Going back, here's my last chapter. Happy reading!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.**

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><p>Chapter 13:<p>

"Skye?" Ward gently placed his arm under the hacker's head and lifted it slowly.

Skye coughed, tried to sit up, but decided to just stay on the ground with her S.O.'s arm underneath her.

"Stay still, Skye." May said.

"How are you feeling?" Simmons asked.

"My body hurts…and my chest too."

"We had to use the defib on you," Simmons frowned. "Your heart stopped."

"Well that explains it…"

"The grenade was not an ordinary one," Fitz began explaining, as he clutched the piece of metal in his hands. "It wasn't made to create a fiery explosion like the usual ones. It's similar to the effects of the flash bang, or the night-night grenades, but this one was modified on its own. It enclosed the pressure of the explosion so that it created a much stronger force. It didn't produce fire, but it was strong enough to blow up anything close-ranged. And because Skye received it in such a proximity, it nearly caused her to…"

"Are you sure it didn't have anything else in it that might affect her? Will she be okay?" Ward asked the engineer.

"She'll be okay. But, the soreness of her body might last for a few days."

"Let's get her out of here." Coulson declared.

Skye tried to sit up once more, intending to walk on her own, but her S.O. had other plans. She was taken by surprise when Ward didn't let her sit up at all. Instead, he placed his other arm under her knees and picked her up. He wordlessly carried her to the SUV. Then, they returned to the bus.

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><p>An hour passed and Skye was back in her bunk sitting on her bed, getting impatient with everyone.<p>

"Guys!" She half-yelled. "Seriously, I'm fine!"

The rest of the team, except May, was standing by her bunk door. Ward and Simmons stood beside the bed while Coulson and Fitz stood at the doorway. Everyone had a look of disapproval.

"You were blasted against a brick wall and hit your head, thanks to that grenade. You are not fine." Fitz said, and everyone agreed.

Skye groaned in frustration. They have been arguing for the past half an hour now. Skye was getting annoyed because they wouldn't leave her alone due to her recent accident.

"Look, I'm sure we're all tired so, can I please just go to sleep?" She asked them in defeat. They exchanged looks before shrugging and finally agreeing.

"Alright. You can sleep." Simmons told her.

"Yaaay," Skye answered in monotone.

"But," Simmons continued, making Skye groan in annoyance again. "Someone has to watch you and wake you up every couple of hours."

"What? Why?" Skye asked with wide eyes.

"To make sure you don't have a concussion." Fitz answered.

"Fine, fine! Just let me get some rest!" Skye let herself fall face-down on the bed, and pain shot through her body. She flinched as her stomach felt like it was on fire.

"Argh!"

"Skye, be careful!" Coulson said to her.

"I'm…fine…" She said as she struggled to fix herself to a proper sleeping position. When she was now lying on her back, she turned to face her team once more.

"Well?" She asked.

"Yes, yes, we'll leave. But, who'll take first watch?" Simmons asked the others.

"I'll do it," Ward piped up before anyone else can answer.

"Alright. Every couple of hours, okay?" Simmons told him.

"Got it." Ward replied.

"Good night." Simmons bid them, but Skye was already asleep. The other two men also bid their Good Night's and left Ward inside Skye's bunk. He wasn't sure whether she heard that Ward would be taking first watch, but he knew that she would've argued nonetheless.

It was already past midnight and he was tired, but Ward knew he wasn't supposed to sleep. So, he went to his bunk, grabbed his book, and went to the kitchen. He prepared himself a cup of coffee before sitting on the sofa and reading.

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><p>A couple of hours later, Ward checked his watch.<p>

_2:48_ _a.m._

He closed his book, and stood up to walk towards Skye's bunk. He went near her and bent down.

"Skye?" He shook her gently. "Skye, wake up."

It took a few more shakes before she grunted sleepily.

"Wake up," Ward said.

"Why?" She asked sleepily. Her eyes were still closed. "I thought you'd actually let me skip training this time."

Ward chuckled softly and that made Skye open one of her eyes in curiosity. She turned around and checked the time.

"Ward, please tell me you're not making me train at this time." She said, looking mad.

"No, no, of course not!" Ward said hastily. "I'm supposed to wake you up every two hours, remember?"

Skye looked really tired and Ward wanted nothing more than to let her rest again.

"Oh right. Yeah, I remember. I just didn't know it was you who'd be doing it. I thought Simmons would be the one waking me up."

"Not that I don't appreciate you doing it," Skye added hastily. "I do, really. Plus I'm glad Simmons is finally taking a break from always checking on me."

"She's just worried. All of us are." Ward told her.

"I know," Skye answered. She tried to stifle a yawn, but failed.

"I'll let you sleep now." Ward said, and started to walk to the doorway. Before he could go out, however, Skye spoke again.

"Hey, Ward?"

He turned around and looked at her. Skye saw the softness in his brown eyes.

"What is it?" He asked his rookie.

"Do you–I mean, is it okay if you stay in the room?" Skye mumbled. "I mean, it's okay if you want to wait somewhere else. I just–um, think that it would be easier if you were close–I mean, nearer. To me. For when you would wake me up." She stuttered as she said those words shyly.

Ward smiled at her before answering, "Sure. I'll just go get my book. You lie down."

Skye nodded before she did as she was told. A minute later, Ward returned to her bunk carrying his book and a plastic chair.

"Good night, Ward." She said sleepily.

"Night." Ward replied.

* * *

><p>Another couple of hours passed and it was time to wake Skye up once more. Ward put down his book and leaned forward as he reached for his rookie.<p>

"Skye? Wake up." He shook her again and then her eyelids fluttered. Skye immediately saw the familiar brown eyes looking at her as soon as she opened her eyes.

"You okay?" Ward asked her when she didn't speak.

"Yeah, fine."

Ward then leaned back against his chair once more. His left hand made its way at the back of his neck. He rubbed the stiffness away as he stretched his neck.

"I'm sorry." Skye mumbled against her pillow. "I know you're really tired and all, but you're stuck here with me, and you can't sleep. I'm sorry."

"Don't be silly," Ward replied. "I'm okay. I'm more worried about you, Skye."

"Here we go again," Skye sighed. "I told you, I'm fine. I'm just a little sore, but I'm okay, Ward. You don't have to fuss over me."

"But you can't blame me for doing so, Skye." He said firmly. "I'm you S.O. Everything that happens to you on the field is on me. I care about you. And not only because it's my job to."

As soon as he said it, they were both speechless. Ward never admitted that out loud. He showed it a few times but the only thing about it was a Supervising Officer doing his job.

"I care about you," He continued. "Because you're a part of this team. You're a friend to me, Skye. And I don't like seeing my friends get hurt."

Skye stared at him. Her heart melted as he said those words, but the guilt still remained.

"I know the job always involves risks and danger, but I still can't imagine losing you, Skye." He said.

"I–I never knew that you felt like that…" Skye was astonished at this.

Ward chuckled softly. "You would have figured it out if you heard it from others."

"What do you mean?"

Ward smiled as he looked at her. "I was never this kind of person with other SHIELD agents. To them, I'm just a Specialist. I was the man who went on whatever mission they sent me and came back like nothing happened. I was just another Agent to them, who had no attachments whatsoever, and was also anti-social."

Skye chuckled.

"That part, I'm aware of."

They laughed in unison. Then, silence filled the air as Skye let the words sink in her head. She saw Grant stretch his neck and stifle a yawn.

"You should get some sleep yourself." She told him.

"I'm not leaving you."

"Grant, we had a long mission and you haven't slept all night."

"I'm fine."

"It's already 5 am. The next time I need to wake up, I'll do it by myself. You need to rest."

"I'm not leaving, Skye."

Skye sighed. "What about you just sleep here? Beside me?"

Ward seemed to consider the idea. "Are you sure?"

"Well you wouldn't take any other suggestion so." Skye pointed out. It took a few moments before Ward finally gave in.

"Alright fine. I'll sleep." He said as he moved towards the bed. "But only because I won't be able to keep watch on you today if I'm too tired."

He lied down beside Skye, who immediately wrapped her arm around his torso and placed her head on his chest. Ward didn't hesitate in encircling his own arms around Skye.

"How do you deal with worrying about me so much? I've practically attracted all kinds of trouble during missions."

"It's not great, but I don't hate worrying about you." He said to her. "It reminds me that I care. It reminds me that I should protect you at all cost."

"Thank you," Skye answered after a moment. "For always having my back, even if it's my fault that I get into sticky situations."

"I'll always have you back, Skye. You can count on that." As Ward said that, he was brushing his hand on Skye's arm. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, and Ward was wondering if Skye had already fallen asleep.

"Hey Skye?" He whispered.

"Yeah?" She mumbled sleepily.

This was it. He was going to do it. He was going to do something he thought he'd never had the courage to do.

"Will you let me take you to dinner?"

Skye's head lifted from his chest and she eyed him with shining brown eyes. For a moment, Ward cursed himself for being so straightforward. He feared that she would laugh at him and say no.

"I thought you'd never ask," she said as a smile formed on her lips. Ward released the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"For a second there, I thought you were going say no."

Skye lied back down on him. "I'd never say no to you." She felt sleep starting to crawl in as her eyes fought to keep open.

Before she drifted off, she felt Ward kiss the top of her head and heard him whisper.

"Sleep well, Rookie." Then, they both relaxed as they slept next to each other.

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><p><strong>AN: Not enough? :( I thought you'd say that. But don't give up on me just yet. I'm planning on making a sequel, but I'm not sure yet. It's either I keep doing one-shots or a sequel to this. I'm still thinking about it because for one, I haven't planned anything yet.**

**So there you have "Moments." I hope you have enjoyed reading this story. Thank you for all the amazing follows/favorites/views and reviews. It has been a great journey writing this for around four months. I promise I'll continue writing for all you Skyeward shippers. And no matter what happens, our ship will sail on! Anyway, thank you to all of you. And wish me luck for the next couple of weeks. **

**I love you all! R and R! xx**


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